Floating dreams

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“Guria’s floating school on the Mansarovar Ghat in Varanasi is popular among children at the ghats.
The school—a 250-square-foot- boat—has been rented for 06,000 a month.
It has 70 students on the rolls, mostly children from the boatmen community.
Singh hopes the school is successful in minimising the vulnerability of these hapless children to abuses.
The school runs for two hours from 5 p.m.
It has a computer, a television, a DVD player and a small library.
A solar panel ensures smooth supply of electricity.

“Earlier these children would not study and loiter with firangis (foreign tourists). Some of them begged, shaming our city. Thanks to this school, they utilise their time in studying now,” says Shanker Manjhi, the owner of the boat.

The students are given snacks after school—an incentive to ensure the children are regular.
“Every day I wait for evening to come here. Unlike other schools, the teacher does not beat you nor do they get angry if I ask questions many times. Once the classes are over, I wait for my candy, ” says young Vaishali.

Pawan Kumar Yadav, who teaches at the school, says, “We give them non-formal primary schooling here, so they can read and write. But our long-term aim is to make them on par with students in mainstream schools.”

(The Week – December 18, 2012)
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This is a new school made by Guria on a boat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras), it welcomes children from the ghats and allows them to have a good school level in order to maintain their schooling and to avoid ending up begging or being involved with prostitution and childlabor.

Man of the year 2011

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“My greatest strength has been my stoicism.
I do not want to sound like a pedantic.
The day you realise you are just a speck of dust, you rise above the feeling of winning and losing.
This realisation comes through an inward journey and it requires ample courage.
It is not something you can get in a departmental store.”
(Ajeet Singh – Indian Human Right activist)

Today “THE WEEK”, the largest selling English newsmagazine in India, selected Ajeet Singh to be “Man of the year 2011”.

week.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/th…
week.manoramaonline.com/cgi-bin/MMOnline.dll/portal/ep/ho…

Congratulations to my friends Ajeet and to his wife Manju.
Those congratulations have to be shared with the whole Guria family and with everyone who supported this non-profit organisation through many ways…
The fight against human trafficking and prostituion is not over, together we can change…!!!
This is GURIA’s website, www.guriaindia.org

Please read the interviews and the website and be aware of the story behind all this, Ajeet Singh is a true modern hero.

This picture was shot a few weeks ago when Ajeet came for the first time to Paris during a short trip In Europe.
It was early in the morning in front of “le Château de Versailles” (Palace of Versailles) a few hours before going back to India.
Ajeet was happy, there was a smile on his face but there is a bigger one in his heart…

Recovering a Stolen Childhood

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“In school whatever you’re taught about being Mother Teresa isn’t true.
In real life you get castigated.”
(Ajeet Singh – Founder and director of Guria)

 

Last night Indian TV was showing a documentary (CNN-IBN & CNBC) concerning Ajeet Singh and Guria.
Please take the time to watch this video which is a part of it

and to read the interview at www.siasat.com/english/news/ajeet-fights-against-female-t…

Guria is a Human Rights organisation settle in Varanasi (Benaras) and fighting against the sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly those forced into prostitution and trafficking.
Manju and her husband Ajeet Singh are running this non-profit organisation at great personal risk, providing shelter and hope to many children.They are modern heroes and they give a meaning to all the things I do as I support their action through my work.
Talking about them gives a recognition and provides security to the children and to everyone involved there.
Share the word in order that they keep the protection necessary to continue their lawful human rights work in safety and free from intimidation and harassment.

 

This is a portrait of a little girl who stays at Guria.
Each time I go to this place I take several pictures of the children and recently I realized that on the last pictures they look younger than last year, as if they got their stolen childhood back…

More pictures of GURIA at https://designldg.wordpress.com/category/6-human-rights-activism/guria-children-of-hope/

 

 

Alive

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“Don’t ask what the world needs.
Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it.
Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
( Howard Thurman – American Theologian, Clergyman and Activist. 1900-1981)

Those little girls stay at Guria in Varanasi (Benaras) where they are trying to have a normal childhood like any other child in the world.

Guria is a Human Rights organisation fighting against the sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly those forced into prostitution and trafficking.

Manju and her husband Ajeet Singh are running this non-profit organisation at great personal risk, providing shelter and hope to many children and facing many difficulties from all those who would like to use those children as a second generation prostitution.

 There are many ways to help and give a kind of support to Guria, this is its website, http://www.guriaindia.org and you may contact Manju and Ajeet at guriaajeet@rediffmail.com

A special dedication to Yasmine Retima a who helped Guria a few months ago after watching pictures from this set on Facebook.

 

 

The Basis Of All Morality

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“Compassion is the basis of all morality.”
(Arthur Schopenhauer – German philosopher, 1788-1860)

This young boy belongs to Guria in Varanasi (Benaras).
He would like to have a normal childhood like any other child in the world.
Guria is a Human Rights organisation fighting against the sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly those forced into prostitution and trafficking.
Manju and her husband Ajeet Singh are running this non-profit organisation at great personal risk, providing shelter and hope to many children and facing many difficulties from all those who would like to use those children as a second generation prostitution.

There are many ways to help and give a kind of support to Guria, this is its website, www.guriaindia.org and you may contact Manju and Ajeet at guriaajeet@rediffmail.com

A special dedication to my friend Benu Mohanlal who filled my car one morning with clothes, toys and books for those kids as I was on my way to Varanasi.

Revolutionary Behaviours

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“To be a revolutionary you have to be a human being.
You have to care about people who have no power.”
( Jane Fonda – American actress and political activist, b. in 1937)

Those kids stay at Guria in Varanasi (Benaras) where they are trying to have a normal childhood like any other child in the world.
Guria is a Human Rights organisation fighting against the sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly those forced into prostitution and trafficking.
Manju and her husband Ajeet Singh are running this non-profit organisation at great personal risk, providing shelter and hope to many children and facing many difficulties from all those who would like to use those children as a second generation prostitution.

There are many ways to help and give a kind of support to Guria, this is its website, www.guriaindia.org and you may contact Manju and Ajeet at guriaajeet@rediffmail.com

A special dedication to my friend Charles Trabuchet, a French young man who came to India in order to give some time to Guria and to help those children during several months.

Valuable Lives

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“One’s life has value so long as one attributes value to the life of others, by means of love, friendship, indignation, and compassion.”
(Simone de Beauvoir – French existentialist philosopher, 1908–1986)

This is a picture of the first house made by Guria in Varanasi (Benaras) in order to shelter children.
Guria is a Human Rights organisation fighting against the sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly those forced into prostitution and trafficking.
Manju and her husband Ajeet Singh are running this non-profit organisation at great personal risk, providing shelter and hope to many children andfacing many difficulties from all those who would like to use those children as a second generation prostitution.
This house is located in the red area of the city, it allows the mothers to be close to their children.
I took this shot from the upper terrace of the new house which should be finished very soon.
This place is bigger and has a real comfort for those kids.
They already have lunch and dinner there.
This is a place of happiness and hope…

There are many ways to help and give a kind of support to Guria, this is its website, www.guriaindia.organd you may contact Manju and Ajeet at guriaajeet@rediffmail.com

Those lives have value, they belong to the future…

GURIA Press Review

Varanasi is at crossroad between Nepal, Bihar, Bengal, Mumbai (…), many trucks drive there, many visitors come, also many young women who sometimes meet the worst…

Some become prostitutes, some have children whom future seemed to be no better.

Guria is a Human Rights organisation fighting against the sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly those forced into prostitution and trafficking.
Manju and her husband Ajeet Singh are running this non-profit organisation at great personal risk, providing shelter and hope to many children.
They need any kind of help (money, food, toys, clothes,…) in order to carry on their task.
They are facing many difficulties from all those who would like to use those children as a second generation prostitution.
Manju and Ajeet Singh are modern heroes, this is why I decided to upload a few pictures connected to their work.

In April 2010 they were nominated for the 2010 Front Line Award, a international foundation for the protection of Human Rights defenders.

There are many ways to help and give a kind of support to Guria, this is its website, www.guriaindia.organd you may contact Manju and Ajeet at guriaajeet@rediffmail.com

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Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).
The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.

Courageous Souls

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“Ajeet Singh and the GURIA organisation work to end the trafficking and forced prostitution of women and children in India. He organises protest marches and has carried out raids on the brothels to rescue children.
The pimps and the brothel owners and the police who protect them see him as a threat to their profits.
On March 25th, 2010, a group of people entered the centre and said that they would break the legs and hands of anyone who attempted to continue teaching the children there.
Ajeet Singh was one of the shortlisted nominees for the 2005 Front Line Award, which is given each year to a human rights defender who has shown exceptional courage.”
(“Courageous souls who risk all to defend human rights”, The Irish Times – Friday, December 31, 2010)

This is a picture of Ajeet and Manju Singh with some of the Guria family.
It was shot from the balcony of the small house which belongs to GURIA in Varanasi (Benaras).
Guria is a Human Rights organisation fighting against the sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly those forced into prostitution and trafficking.
Manju and her husband Ajeet Singh are running this non-profit organisation at great personal risk, providing shelter and hope to many children.
They need any kind of help (money, food, toys, clothes,…) in order to carry on their task.
They are facing many difficulties from all those who would like to use those children as a second generation prostitution.
Manju and Ajeet Singh are modern heroes, this is why I decided to upload a few pictures connected to their work.

There are many ways to help and give a kind of support to Guria, this is its website, www.guriaindia.org and you may contact Manju and Ajeet at guriaajeet@rediffmail.com

Carrying the Heaviest Burden

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The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.

 

“God places the heaviest burden on those who can carry its weight.”
(Reggie White – Professional American football player, 1961 – 2004)

This is a picture of Ajeet Singh among happy children for whom he is fighting endlessly.
It was shot in the courtyard of GURIA in Varanasi (Benaras).
Guria is a Human Rights organisation fighting against the sexual exploitation of women and children, particularly those forced into prostitution and trafficking.
Ajeet Singh and his wife Manju are running this non-profit organisation at great personal risk, providing shelter and hope to many children.
Those modern heroes are facing many difficulties from all those who would like to use those children as a second generation prostitution.

There are many ways to help and give a kind of support to Guria, this is its website, www.guriaindia.organd you may contact Manju and Ajeet at guriaajeet@rediffmail.com